Jim Petro, Vice Chair

Waite, Schneider, Bayless & Chesley

Jim Petro presents extensive experience as a counselor, litigant, advocate and public officeholder. Immediately prior to joining Waite, Schneider, Bayless & Chesley, Jim served as Attorney General of Ohio and as Auditor of State of Ohio, beginning this elected service in 1995. For over twenty years before his election to state office, Jim was a practicing lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio, partnering in a small, ten-lawyer firm and in a large one hundred fifty-lawyer, multi-office firm. In addition to his private practice, Jim was continually engaged in public service as a Prosecutor, City Law Director, State Legislator and County Commissioner. His advocacy experience has also included an appointment to senior management of an international corporation, directing state and local government relations in over thirty states.

Jim continues his active involvement in the National Association of Attorneys General, and he maintains a substantial issues advocacy practice before state attorneys general in all 50 states. He is also an appellate practitioner and mediator.

Jim has served as lead counsel in scores of lawsuits which he ultimately tried to jury verdict; he has negotiated and resolved hundreds of matters on behalf of well-known international businesses; he has advocated his clients’ causes in state and federal appellate courts, including the United States Supreme Court; and he has successfully advanced policy initiatives in dozens of legislative assemblies across the country.

AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell for nearly thirty years, Jim is listed in Who’s Who in American Lawyers and Ohio Super Lawyers. He is a graduate of Denison University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law

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